Ross Owyoung (’18) has joined the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts as a Development Officer.
Owyoung, previously the Director of UA Little Rock Downtown, has already begun assisting AMFA as it works toward its grand reopening in May 2022. Previously known as the Arkansas Arts Center, AMFA’s downtown Little Rock facility is in the process of undergoing a $142 million expansion and renovation.
Owyoung’s responsibilities include soliciting sponsorship opportunities as part of the reopening programming. Additionally, he is tasked with implementing a comprehensive support program to engage individuals and the corporate community while generating annual revenue for AMFA.
His work at UA Little Rock – which included event fundraising and oversight of UA Little Rock Downtown’s participation in 2nd Friday Art Night – combined with his personal passion for arts advocacy in Arkansas to make him an ideal fit with AMFA.
“These experiences led me to have a passion to raise money for arts organizations,” Owyoung said. “I am excited to help shape the new development events for the AMFA moving forward.”
AMFA’s work in central Arkansas also overlaps with Owyoung’s experience in public service. His fundraising efforts will provide direct support for some of the organization’s programming initiatives with the Little Rock School District, many of which are directed toward students from low-income families.
As a Clinton School student, Owyoung took an elective course on fundraising taught by Fred Scarborough, Executive Vice President at Arkansas Children’s Hospital and President of the Arkansas Children’s Foundation.
“This class gave me a solid foundation of the development world by providing me with the pedagogy of development and actual experience of development by making major gift asks by practices through his team at Arkansas Children’s Hospital,” Owyoung said.
Owyoung’s time at the Clinton School included field service projects with the Jericho Way Day Resource Center, and an education and community development nonprofit in Panama, Give and Surf. His Capstone project with The Venture Center utilized a six-month analysis to show the economic impact of The Venture Center’s programming on entrepreneurism in central Arkansas.
“The arts not only advance society in many ways, they bring beauty to our city,” Owyoung said. “The arts also enhance economic development. With our new building opening next year, the indirect and direct economic impact the AMFA will bring to Little Rock is equally important to note.”
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